Dick Cheney: 'I worship the ground Paul Ryan walks on'

In a rare public appearance, former Vice President Dick Cheney said he hopes House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan doesn't run for president. And his reason is an interesting one.

I worship the ground the Paul Ryan walks on, Cheney said, the Houston Chronicle reported. I hope he doesn't run for president because that would ruin a good man who has a lot of work to do.

Cheney's words come after a tumultuous week for the Republican Ryan, whose plan for an overhaul of Medicare was a definitive issue in the New York special Congressional election Tuesday, where Democrat Kathy Hochul won a seat in a Republican sodden district. Thereafter, Democrats have used the election as proof that Americans oppose Ryan's plan.

Ryan said Sunday on NBC News's Meet the Press that he was not running for president, but would not completely close the door to being drafted or getting on the Republican ticket as a running mate.

He also said that he did not care whether he lost his House seat because of his Medicare proposal.

Now is not that time to be worried about political careers, Ryan said in an interview on the Subway Series with Jonathan Karl. Sincerely, I will be fine if I lose my House seat because you know what? I will know I did what I thought was right to save this country from fiscal ruin.